The St. Johns herald., 1887-09-08

From private letters and from parties
 up from Holbrook, we are enabled to gather the following particulars of the good work done by Sheriff Owens, in that town on last Sunday, in ridding the Territory of two, and perhaps three, of the worst characters that ever infested any country. It appears that in the af- ternoon of last Sunday, Sheriff Owens rode into Holbrook on his rounds sum- moning the grand and trial jurors for the present term of court. He had scarcely dismounted from his horse, when he was informed that Andy Coop CT was in town, and had made the asser- tion that he would not be taken by any officer in Apache county. Owens there upon inquired as to the whereabouts of Cooper, and the hostler pointed to a house only short distance from the stable, and told the Sheriff they were in there. He searched among his papers and found the warrant for Cooper, and then started for the house in question: Cooper was standing on porch in front of the house, and saw the Sheriff ap- proaching-before he reached the house Cooper went inside and shut the door. Mir. Owens went to the door and called for him to come out. Instead of doing so, Cooper passed from the room which he first entered into one on the east, opened the door slightly and stuck his head out, holding the knob of the door in his left hand and six-shooter in his right Owens then told him that he had a warrant for his arrest, and wanted him, Cooper asked him what it was for, and was told that it was for stealing some ponies from the Navajoes. He then said wait while and will see about it; but the Sheriff was not dis posed to wait, and told him that he must come now. Cooper then replied that he would not go. when Owens opened fire on him, and was fired on in turn from the door through which Cooper entered the house-the two shots being almost simultaneous. There was general fir ing from the inside on Owens then, and he retreated to the corner of Brown & Kinder's stable, and had scarcely reach ed his place of partial shelter, before man known as Nose Roberts turned the corner of the house in which the Blew ins were, with gun in his hand. Owens turned loose on him, the ball striking Roberts in the side passing entirely through his body. Samuel Blevins, boy about IA years old, then ran out of the house and took shot at Owens, which was returned with fatal effect.
 The names of the two killed are Andy Cooper and Samuel Blevins-half broth CTS. John Blevins and Nose B Roberts wounded, the former slightly and the latter mortally. The men killed and wounded have been members of des- perate gang of cattle thieves, who have OSCh et tOiiOi tO IlIC law of Yavapai and Apache counties, and openly boasted that the officers of the law were afraid to undertake to arrest them.
 We take the following extract from a private letter received yesterday morn- ing from a prominent citizen of Hol- brook, which tells the story i'll a nut shell, and also gives the feeling of the people of that town in regard to the af- fray:
 "Owens went to Blevins' house, and there found Cooper and the other par ties. Cooper resisted and was killed. John Blevins then fired upon Owens, and he in turn was shot, Roberts ap- peared from the corner of the house and was in turn laid out. Young Blevins then sprang out and fired his little pop, and was killed dead on the spot thus ended the bloody day in Holbrook. Owens was not hurt, and did it all with out assistance. Frank Reed raised a cry against Owens, when he was inform ed by the citizens of Holbrook to cheese